Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Christine Cullinan

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Hunger Strike” Debate to Air on TV

Where: Cox Cable Channel 23 (Channel 18 in North County)

When : 9 p.m., Monday, October 25, 2010

Also available at: http://www.copswiki.org/Common…

Produced by Citizens’ Oversight Projects (COPS)

San Diego County, Calif. (Oct 22, 2010) –  The “Hunger Strike Debate” can be seen in the San Diego County area on Cox cable television, channel 23 (channel 18 in north areas of the county) at 9:00 pm on Monday, October 25, 2010. The debate features Michael Benoit (L), incumbent Duncan D. Hunter (R), and Ray Lutz (D). The show is presented on the Public Access Channel and produced by Citizens’ Oversight Projects.

The debate was sponsored by the East County Chamber of Commerce and held at the Cuyamaca College on October 15, 2010. Steve Hamann, Editor of The East County Herald moderated.

Lutz and Benoit conducted an eleven-day hunger strike to coerce reluctant Hunter to agree to a debate. The hunger strike garnered national attention including articles in Politico, Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, the L.A. Times, The Atlantic and numerous other regional publications, and proved to be too much to withstand any further display of reluctance by the Hunter campaign.

Approximately 200 people attended the debate and the video is about 82 minutes in length.

Michael Benoit and Ray Lutz conducted a series of debates in other areas of the county, including Alpine, Poway, Lakeside, and Kearny Mesa, but Hunter declined to appear at those events. Videos of other debates are also available at

http://www.VoteRayLutz.com/Deb…  

HUNGER STRIKE DEBATE SET FOR OCTOBER 15

Where: Cuyamaca College Communication Arts Theatre, Room B-117

Rancho San Diego; 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy

When : 7p.m. – 9p.m., Saturday, October 15

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

OCT 15 CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE FOLLOWS 11-DAY HUNGER STRIKE

San Diego County, Calif. (Oct 2, 2010) –

Congressman Duncan Duane Hunter has said he will finally step up to

debate his eager general election opponents on October 15, at a East

County Chamber of Commerce debate. The congressman refused to debate

his opponents until Democratic Candidate Raymond Lutz and Libertarian

Candidate Michael Benoit staged an 11-day “Hunger Strike for Democracy

back in August.”

On the morning of August 19, just hours after Lutz appeared on CNN to

discuss the hunger strike, a representative from Congressman Hunter’s

campaign hand delivered a debate acceptance notice to the Lutz office.

Though Lutz ended his hunger strike, which garnered him national

attention and a forthcoming article in The Nation magazine, his

“insurgent” campaign tactics have persisted. He has led marches,

protest and demonstrations, and founded a non-partisan national

organization, Debate For Democracy, to advocate for congressional

debates in every district.

And despite the lack of cooperation from the Hunter campaign, Lutz and

Benoit have continued their campaign to reach out to voters across the

expansive 52nd congressional district. They have already held debates

(inviting Congressman Hunter to each of them) in the communities of

Alpine, Ramona and Lakeside/Santee. They have upcoming debates

scheduled for Poway, Clairemont Mesa and Borrego Springs, though the

congressman has not confirmed attendance for any of these events.

“Hunter’s reluctance to debate represents a disturbing trend,” Ray

Lutz said. Earlier this month, Republican Congressman Darrell Issa

(CA-49) backed out of a commitment he made earlier this summer to

debate his Democratic Challenger Howard Katz.

However, not all debate trends are negative. While Hunter has made it

clear that he is not interested in allowing the voters of his district

to pose questions about his record and ideas, Republican

Representative Brian Bilbray (CA-51) has gone out of his way to

request more debates from his counterpart, Democratic Challenger

Francine Busby.

The October 15 debate, which will be moderated by a television anchor

and broadcast locally, is expected to be well attended. Audience

members will be encouraged to ask challenging questions, especially

with recent allegations of immorality in light of the Boehner Sex

scandal and controversial earmark requests.

Where: Cuyamaca College Communication Arts Theatre, Room B-117

Rancho San Diego; 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy

When : 7p.m. – 9p.m., Saturday, October 15

Ref: www.debatefordemocracy.org

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

NEWS RELEASE

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director 619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 11: Candidate Lutz claims victory, breaks fast today

Lutz announces new national organization to carry on efforts

San Diego County, Calif. (August 23, 2010) – After 11 days of fasting, Congressional Candidate Ray Lutz has announced that with the founding of a new national organization (Debate for Democracy) to carry on the fight for congressional debates, he will finally agree to eat something.

“Now that I know the fight for debates will continue, I feel it’s time to have a bite,” Lutz said.

Lutz, whose fast lasted longer than Gandhi’s 1932 starvation, ate his first regular meal just after 2 p.m. on Monday, at Pat & Oscar’s restaurant in El Cajon. He had been phasing himself back into nourishment with some vegetable broth and a bit of fruit over the weekend.

Lutz’s new, non-partisan organization, DebateforDemocracy.org was founded after Lutz encountered other congressional challengers who faced incumbents who were also hesitant to engage in formal debates.

“I just made a few phone calls, and immediately realized this was a national problem,” Lutz said. “Congressman Hunter isn’t the only incumbent ducking debates. But he might be the only combat veteran afraid to face his opponent.”

On DebateforDemocracy.org, citizens, candidates and incumbents alike are invited to sign a pledge to support debates in their districts and if they are candidates, to debate their opponents an adequate number of times in locations that ensure most of their constituents will have the opportunity to attend and present questions. Already there are Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Greens as who have taken the pledge. The organization will research options for promoting debates in every district in the country, using the bright shining light of public review, involving the creation of a Commission on Congressional Debates (CCD), or perhaps enhancing the role of the Federal Election Commission.

Rick Tubbs, Republican challenger in California’s 7th Congressional District and a Debate for Democracy pledge-taker, said “Debates between candidates are the best way to inform the voters about where those trying to represent them stand on the issues. There is no big money involved, just the candidates standing on their own making their case to the voter.”

“Election debates are a traditional part of the American process, they go all the way back to Lincoln,” said Lutz. “It’s an effective way to help voters see where there candidates stand on this issues – and that strengthens our republic.”

The Lutz for Congress campaign would like to advise anyone who wants to “Hunger Strike” to lose weight to make sure they consult with their doctor and be very careful how they end the fast. Complete abstinence from food can be dangerous.

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit:http://www.VoteRayLutz.com/

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

MEDIA ADVISORY

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 8: Fasting Candidates to confront Hunter at Friday event

Candidates Lutz and Benoit lead demonstrations outside

“Politics in Paradise event”

San Diego County, Calif. (August 20, 2010) – Congressional Candidates Ray Lutz (Democratic) and Michael Benoit (Libertarian) will lead demonstrations at a candidate’s forum tonight featuring Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, whom they are seeking to debate.

The two candidates have been fasting for 8 days, in effort to pressure Hunter to agree to a series of debates with them. Just yesterday, Hunter’s campaign delivered an acceptance letter Lutz’s office, agreeing to participate in one debate, scheduled for October 15.

Lutz and Benoit have continued their fasting, citing the fact that 65 percent of voters in June’s primary election cast absentee ballots, with a high portion of them being returned within the first few days of receiving them. The vote-by-mail ballots will be distributed on October 4.

Tonight’s rally will take place outside the Cuyamaca College Water Conservation Garden, between 5:30-6 p.m. Inside the event, Lutz will attempt to confront Hunter to change the date of the debate and to add at least three more debates prior to the distribution of vote-by-mail ballots.

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit: www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director 619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 5: Candidate Lutz’s hunger strike joined by Libertarian candidate

Lutz campaign now accepting donations for San Diego Food Bank

San Diego County, Calif. (August 17, 2010) – At an El Cajon rally on Monday, Congressional Candidate Ray Lutz announced that he had been joined in his hunger strike by Libertarian Candidate Michael Benoit, both fasting until incumbent Rep. Duncan Duane Hunter agrees to debate them.

“I’m amazed at the overwhelming amount of support I’m getting from people across this country,” Democratic Congressional Candidate Raymond Lutz said. “I’m not starving alone and that’s nice.”

Over the weekend, more than 28 people pledged to go at least a day without food in support of Lutz’s cause, including Libertarian Candidate for California’s 52nd Congressional seat, Michael Benoit, who joined Lutz’s “Hunger strike for accountability.”

“I welcome the solidarity offered by Mr. Benoit, who is a very nice person,” Lutz said, before welcoming Benoit on stage to make a statement at the rally in El Cajon’s Promenade Park.

In a speech before dozens of supporters, Lutz and Benoit vowed to continue their strikes until the Hunter campaign agrees to debate them.

“Until he agrees to come before the voters, he can expect that I will be holding press conferences every week to talk about each of the issues that aren’t being debated,” Lutz said. “Jobs, and energy policy, and of course, the issue that’s been on my mind a lot lately – hunger. We’ve had 10.8 million meals served by the San Diego Food Bank in the last year – that’s a lot of hungry people.”

Lutz announced that from now through the end of the campaign, his office would be accepting and forwarding food donations to the San Diego Food Bank.

Lutz ended his press conference by publicly announcing a revised tentative schedule of five debates, planned during the congressional recess, throughout the massive 52nd congressional district.

“I could never imagine a candidate who has been in combat but is slow to engage in debate about the important issues affecting his constituents.” He added, “These problems are effecting his constituents today, and what has he done to help them? He hasn’t yet enacted any legislation at all, and his latest effort was a bill about getting cigarettes to soldiers.” Lutz said, “We need to debate this now, while he is on his legislative break – not in October, after most of the mail-in ballots have already been sent in.”

Lutz, 52, said he had already lost 14 pounds by his fifth day of fasting.

Revised Debate Schedule:

Raymond Lutz and Michael Benoit jointly invite Rep. Duncan Duane Hunter to participate in the following debates, tentatively scheduled for:

WED – AUG 25, 6:30pm Viejas tribal Facilities Viejas

MON – AUG 30, 6:30pm Grossmont College El Cajon (La Mesa Area)

THUR- SEPT 2, 6:30pm El Capitan High School Lakeside

MON – SEPT 6, 6:30pm Serra High School Tierrasanta

THUR- SEPT 9, 6:30pm Granite Hills High School El Cajon

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit:http://www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246